Xylophone
by Rosie eisoR
Summary: Nothing could come between Daine and Numair, right? Only, here's the thing that could tear them apart, and has done so. A messy fic going through revisions.
1. Confusion + a hint of bells

Daine twisted her hands in the way no one does unless they are about to do something that will make or break their lives. She knocked on the door, and winced. Even a movement that required little effort was weak and shaky. 'You're not a little girl,' she scolded herself. 'Stop acting like you're in trouble. What's the worst he can do?' Even mentally, that question sounded ominous. She knew the worst he could do would not seem much to other people, but to her it would destroy the world. 'Why is he taking so long?'

"Hello?" The light voice belonged to Numair, but he wasn't in the room, as she had expected. She jumped when he touched her shoulder. "Daine, you look as though you're waiting for a death sentence. What's wrong?"

She tried to relax, and smile, but her happy expression came out as a sneering grimace. His carefree air vanished. "Daine, is this the...do you want to..."

Unintentionally, she had made him as nervous as she. "Is this, do I what?"

He turned his gaze to the floor. "Do you want to break up with me? Is this the end?"

Her insides went cold. "You want to break up with me? What's wrong?"

His shadowy eyes widened, and a smile touched the edges of his mouth. "Come inside. I think we're a little confused." Relief filled her as she followed him inside their room. "Why didn't you just come in the room?"

The why was simple. Well, simple to explain to herself. It had seemed romantic. She'd had it all planned. When he answered her knock, she'd propose, then they'd be swept up in a passionate...Numair was snapping his fingers, trying to get her attention. "Daine, what's wrong?"

"What's wrong? What's WRONG? What's right? I come here to ask you to marry me, and then you tell me you want to break up with me? Now tell me what's wrong, because I obviously don't know!"

He seemed taken aback by her outburst. Well, who wouldn't be? All those jumbled up sentences, containing so much information, so many questions, so many...Uh-oh. He had just spoken, and she had no idea what the words that had come out of his mouth were. 'That'll teach you to get caught up in flights of fantasy,' she reprimanded herself.

"Daine? Are you listening to me?"

Easy answer. "Of course I... er, no."

The mage smiled. "Of course I don't want to break up with you."

"Oh." She wished she could think of more to say, but that sound just about summed her feelings up. Then what he had said washed over her. "Huh." Great, just great. She had just told Numair that she wanted to marry him. Goddess, why did her tongue let those words slip out? Now he'd want to run a mile.

"I love you." He pulled her into a tight hug. "I would love to be able to call you my wife."

"What?" Fantastic. An attack of monosyllabism. 'Oh', 'huh' and 'what'. Just the thing to show him how well-educated she was.

"Would you marry me?" He disentangled her arms from his, and knelt on one knee. A small, velvet box appeared in one hand. 'Mages,' she thought with an inner smile. 'No matter what they do, they always have to show off.' While she was trying not to smile, her face must have taken on a stony expression; he stood, shoving the box back into his pocket.

"I'm sorry," he muttered. "I misread the signs. I thought-"

Her arms appeared round his waist. "Let's start from the beginning," she murmured, standing on tiptoes to reach his ear. "I think it sounds like a wonderful idea."


	2. Dilemma

Chapter 2; what tolls after the bells for a wedding? 

"Alanna! Alanna, wait there! We've got some news!" Obediently the King's Champion waited for the two, smiling slightly at their childish eagerness.

"Alanna, we're getting married!" Daine frowned; the breathless way their words had come out was probably not comprehensible. "Alanna, we're getting married." A little more rushed than her preference, but it would have to do.

The lady knight smiled warmly, her reaction pleasing the other two. "That's brilliant. I'm so happy-" A frown crossed over the smile. It was a moment before she spoke again. "For you," she finished lamely. Luckily for her, or so it appeared, the couple were so alight in happiness they didn't notice. "I...er, I have to go." She motioned down the empty corridor, which led to Jon's chambers.

"Congratulations."

"Thank you." The last three letters got lost somewhere in Daine's throat as she gulped down a sob. The red-haired lady didn't appear to notice. She certainly didn't stop walking. Numair turned a shaking Daine to face him.

"What's wrong?"

She felt guilty for destroying their bliss, but Alanna's expression had hurt her. "She didn't like it. She doesn't want us to get married."

The mage pulled her into a hug. "She doesn't matter," he said soothingly. "We can do this without her." Daine smiled, and kissed his cheek.

"Love you," she whispered. His reply was instant, and took away some of the hurt Alanna had placed.

--

The oblivious Lioness stood at that moment in Jon's study.

"They've decided to get married," she reported. "What shall we do?"


	3. Making decisions

Chapter 3; Questions to be answered, decisions to be made. 

Jon sat back in his chair. "They can't be separated. They'd hate it." He frowned slightly, but with his next words a half-smile appeared on his drawn face. "They're really in love. They'll have to go together."

Thayet was nervous about asking her question, but how else would she learn the answer? "Can't we keep them here? We could give them personal guards-"

"No," Alanna snapped, harsher than was necessary because she was panicking. "We could smother them in the King's Own, and still she would not live."

"I don't understand." Thayet hated admitting to ignorance, but the two knights shared knowledge that she was innocent of.

"He's far too powerful to be defeated by mere soldiers, not even Tortall's finest. This way, we can save them, they can be happy, and we can, hopefully, find them afterwards."

"But if he's that powerful, surely he'll be able to find them," Thayet argued. "After all, you say you'll be able to find them again, who's to say he won't? We'd never know what had happened."

"We're hoping it won't come to that." Jon sighed, looking much older than the 40-something years he actually was. "You want them to survive, don't you?"

"But he's only after Daine-"

"To get at Numair."

"So why can't we tell Numair?"

"Because then he'd break up with her, and most likely pack her off to some untrackable convent in Galla. You know how protective he is." Alanna smiled wryly as she spoke; her friend loved Daine with a passion, but if he got a hint she might be in danger, he'd try to save her, even if it brought his own world crashing down around his ears.

"Even if she died, wouldn't her parents-"

"No. She's living on borrowed time as it is. Mithros doesn't like it."

Thayet turned away at her husband's sharp words. Jon saw she was hurt, but there was nothing he could do to stop the pain. It would be worse if they died he reassured himself. But the thought of never seeing the happy young couple again left a nasty trace in his mind. He wished it didn't have to be this way. If only circumstances hadn't made it so.

"Call Daine," he ordered. "Tell her it's urgent."


	4. Dismissal

Chapter 3; Questions to be answered, decisions to be made. 

Daine smiled at Alanna, who looked stonily back. Nervously, the young woman grinned at Thayet, who turned away. Daine was now completely confused. What was happening?

"Thank you for coming, Veralidaine." The King's tone was clipped. "We wish to thank you for your work for our country. We no longer require your services. Thank you for your time."

Daine fixed her gaze on the floor, concentrating on breathing. "You 'thank me for my time'? You're sacking me? I don't BELIEVE this. Just wait until Numair hears-"

"Running to lover boy?" Alanna was as cool as her King.

"Why not? It's worked for you." At those malicious words, Alanna started forward.

"After all the things we've done for you-"

"And I've given a lot back. You don't know how it feels. This is the only place I've ever been where I've been accepted. And now I'm being sent away, with only a consoling pat on the head as my reward. If it hadn't been for Numair 'n me, you'd all be sunk into Chaos."

Jon folded up the parchment he had been writing on. "We understand you feel unwanted, but that's no reason to insult Alanna."

"Oh, I think it's plenty reason, your Majesty," she spat, mocking him with the last two words. "In fact, I'm glad this has happened. I thought you were nice. Now, all I see is a bunch of prissed-up peacocks in front of me."

Thayet longed to comfort the distraught girl. "I do understand that you are feeling hurt right now-"

"Oh do you? Have you ever had to leave a job you loved? Well, your job's safe. Your looks will keep you. Well, until your husband decides he wants his Lioness back. I've seen the way you look at her."

"Now I realise you're hurting, but you have no right to say that!"

"Do you deny it?" she challenged. "Go on. Tell a lie. Tell me you wouldn't give up Thayet's looks for one night with Alanna? But you won't, will you? Because you're too much in love with that stubborn COW!" A reckless rage had blown over Daine; she didn't care what she said.

"Leave my sight."

"Gladly," she retorted. "Wouldn't want to look at something that drops its new toy when it feels like it. Be careful Thayet. Alanna will tell you how easily he betrays you." Daine stromed out of the room, slamming the door. Tears were flowing down her face. They seemed to have no end. It felt like her life was flowing out with them.

"Well, that went well." Inside the room, she had left one devastated woman, one puzzled one and a VERY angry man. All faces held an element of sadness.


	5. Leaving

Chapter 5; Leaving 

Daine forced the remainder of her sadness down. Just because they don't want you doesn't mean no one else won't. Then she had to stop packing, because she was so afraid it was true.

Did anyone want her?

"Daine? Daine, are you running away?" I'm so glad he's intelligent. He catches on fair quick. She felt guilty for her sarcasm.

"No. I've been-" She paused. If she told him, it would most likely upset him, and she'd have to say they didn't want her, which would be painful. On the other hand, she really wanted to wipe the happiness out of their smug faces. The faces that seemed to say "I'm better than you. I'm just helping you because I have some spare time. Really, you're not worth anything to me."

While she was deciding, Numair was watching her. He wondered if she knew just how beautiful she looked right then. His eyes travelled to hers. He noted the red rims, and bloodshot whites. Obviously something had really upset her. His mind travelled to - no, it couldn't be. No, definitely not. Not after last time.

She shrugged. "It's nothing. I'm just a bit...restless, that's all."

It was evident that the reason she gave was not all, but Numair decided to help her out. "You want to see more of the world?"

Eagerly, she nodded. "Yes, that's exactly it. I just need to get out of Tortall for a while. To get away."

He was scared asking the next question. Well, not of the question itself, but of the answer he might receive. "Away from me?" He had clipped his tone so much, the words seemed to hang in the air long after they had come out of his mouth. He wasn't sorry for them, but what if she took it the wrong way? Oh Shakith! She was going to take it the wrong way! "I mean, a relationship needs a lot of work..." Get out of the hole.

She grinned. "I'll only be apart from you if you're staying."

"Are you sure this is what you want? I know Alanna and Jon would love you to stay."

They're the reason I'm going. Can't you see that, you stupid- With a deep breath, she controlled her emotions. No need to get angry at Numair. "Oh I think they'll let me go." The scene in the King's study would be reason enough for her to escape to the Roof of the World. She had a feeling the King was not too pleased with her.

He pulled her away from her packing, into a kiss. "Then I see no reason why we can't go," he murmured into her mouth.


	6. Who are you?

Chapter 6; Who are you? 

Daine tucked the last rose into her curly hair. Unmanagable as it was, she adored having curls. They looked fantastic when a formal event occured. This particular event was hardly formal, two others being the only guests, but it was so special she would remember it forever.

"Daine? Daine, are you ready yet?"

"Yes, but you can't see me! It's bad luck!"

"Don't tell me you're into superstition."

"Don't tell me you don't know that part of me." Her tone was an imitation of his laughing groan.

"I'll be waiting."

"Where can I meet you?" She smiled slightly at her joke, then leant her head against the door, waiting for a reply. She heard a loud banging noise. "Numair?" She tore the door open, not caring if it was bad luck.

"How far will you go for him?" This new voice had never entered her ears before. She would have remembered such a distinctly nasal voice.

"Who are you? Where have you taken him?" Her outburst shocked a few passers-by. Evidently they were deaf to the cruel tone.

"He doesn't love you. He's never loved anyone."

"Who are you?" she screamed.

"He's never loved anyone."

"Who are you?"

"He doesn't love you. He doesn't know how to."

"TELL ME WHO YOU ARE!"

When the voice spoke next, it was soft, almost as if it was living in a distant memory. "I loved her. I really loved her."

"WHO ARE YOU?"

"HE ruined it! He ruined MY life! I loved her!"

"WHO ARE YOU?"

"Now the tables have turned! They've turned right around. I have the right cards, I have the right of the roll! It's my time to shine!"

"WHO ARE YOU?"

"I can win."

Ahem. Um, sorry. This was meant to be a happy chapter. Guess I'll write the next chapter now, make that a happy chapter. Otherwise I'll be depressed. Review? I'll do my cool face!  
: P


	7. Restless sleep

Chapter 7; Restless Sleep 

Numair watched the figure on the bed toss and turn. She looked as if she was simply having trouble sleeping. How he wished it was that easy.

Sighing heavily, he recalled recent events. He had knocked on the door, asking Daine if she was ready yet. She had replied yes she was, and he was not allowed to see her due to some old yarn spun by an old woman centuries ago. Reluctantly, he had given in and agreed to meet her in the chapel. She had made some joke. It was from then on everything had turned hazy. Daine had torn open the door, looked wildly about, and shouted something along the lines of "Who are you? Where have you taken him?"

When Numair had tried to follow her, the door had been slammed in his face. Daine continued to scream "Who are you?" at some mysterious person. Perhaps his betrothed was having hallucinations. But somehow he doubted it. The best thing to do would be to take her back into Tortall, where the person with the largest Healing Gift could help her. He rang for the servant.

--

"You have to Heal her!"

Alanna turned away from her distraught friend. She honestly didn't want Daine to wake up just this moment. Daine had complicated her life. But what's life without a little hardship? She smiled. Gods, being with Faithful all those years had given her some of his ideas. "I..." In vain, she tried to think of a good excuse. She looked over at Daine for some inspiration. The girl was curled up on the bed, claw barely hidden. Seeing the silver object reminded Alanna. Daine was god-born. The gods would be furious if Alanna let Daine die.

"I will. Fetch Duke Baird." She didn't need the Duke; it was an excuse to get Numair out of the room. She couldn't have him breathing over her shoulder. He nodded, and walked briskly out of the room. That done, Alanna reached for her Gift. Smiling at the familiar sensation it gave her, she let some of it trickle slowly into Daine... A sharp flash tore across the sky, and Alanna was thrown into darkness.

--

He felt something probe his spell. Good; that meant she was back in Tortall. The guards he had put on his magic were extremely strong. Anyone who tried to get passed his spell would be unable to use their magic for weeks. Unless they had died... A wonderful sense of victory flooded the mage. Now to put my final plan into action. The man shifted, until a black hawk stood, blinking, where a tall man had just been. Are you ready for me, Numair? Because I'm coming. Ready or not?

--

Hi. I'm on a sugar high (No, duh). I shouldn't have written this, cos it was s'posed to be DDA, but I was smiling, so the mood sorta flopped. I had to write a bit more, cos I've just posted a new fic (One death changed the world) and I realised how many fics I haven't finished. 6! Out of 9! That's pathetic, wouldn't you say? Oh, please review. I need ideas!  
: P


	8. I am here

"Why did you bring me back here?" The question was not directed at a human, since no person stood near her, but at the gods. She knew something was about to happen; she could feel excitement tingling in her bones.

Warm arms appeared around her waist; she looked up, and saw Numair behind her. "What are you doing?"

"Thinking."

"Master Numair, the King wants to see you, now."

Numair looked down at Daine. She smiled, untangled herself from his grip, and flapped her hands towards the door. "You go. I want to see how Cloud is."

"Are you sure, sweet?"

"It's a difficult decision, but I think I made the right choice."

He grinned at her sarcasm. "I'll see you at supper."

"Love you."

"Love you, too." He blew her a kiss, and then turned to follow the servant. Daine smiled, feeling oddly comforted by the words. Briskly, she walked down the stairs, through the courtyard, through the corridor and into the secret entrance to the stables.

Stefan was there. "How ye doin'?"

"Fine, thank you. How's Cloud?"

"Same as always."

Daine grinned. "I'll take over here for a while. You go for a ride."

The grateful smile he gave her warmed her heart. "Ye sure?" he asked.

"The horses need it." Cloud snorted.

Might think of me.

"I'll take you for a ride later." Her words were absent-minded; she was concentrating on the buzz of excitement building inside her. "Cloud, I think something bad's about to happen."

A flash of light blinded her vision. "Cloud, run!" she screamed. The gleaming light was followed by a death-like darkness.

She thought she heard a voice whisper; "Ready or not, here I am."

--

K, the build-up is looking to be more exciting than the event! Next chapter, and you should find out who the mystery man is. Please, don't be disappointed!


	9. Knowledge

Fuzzy, fuzzy, fuzzy... The room swayed - was she on a boat? There was something huge and thick in her mouth. It seemed to be attached... Her tongue. It throbbed painfully from her dazed attempts to spit it out.

A blurred man sat in the corner. He was muttering to himself, very fast. What a strange man! Pulling herself up with her elbows, she tried to remember where she was. It was hopeless; first, she couldn't remember her name - did they not give her one? -, second she... what was second? Wow! There was a stone on the floor! Lots of stones... There was a... that man... She gave up trying to remember...whatever it was, and leaned her head against the wall. The man, he was so familiar, but she was sure she had never laid eyes on him before.

"Who are you?"

"Didn't your lover tell you that?" His voice was cold, dipping into icy. She shivered slightly.

"No. But he was probably so bored with you, he forgot who you were." Luckily, her tone was kept matter-of-fact, as if she was just stating the condition of the weather that day.

"Shut up, wench!" He walked over to her, slapping her cheek with a force that made her head thud against the stone wall behind her.

"You will take that back," she vowed, eyes narrowing with part pain, part hatred.

"And who exactly will make me? You? Your lover, Arram?"

Arram... Salmalin? No, Draper. Numair Salmalin. Suddenly, her whole memory thumped back. But the man was as unfamiliar as ever.

"You don't even know me," she thundered, voice echoing round the small cave.

"Or maybe I know what you don't. I've heard rumours, Daine-the-pain, and I know about your lover, Arram."

"My lover is not called Arram, and you know _nothing _about me."

"Or maybe I do, Veralidaine Sarrasri, daughter of the hunting god Weiryn."

She stiffened, looking up at him with real fear in her eyes.

--

So sorry I haven't updated this for weeks! I hope people are still reading!


	10. Kyle

"I don't know what you're talking about," she said defiantly. "I know of no god-child named Veralidaine Sarrasri."

He rose up and ambled over. "Daine, Daine, Daine. It doesn't do to lie to those in charge."

"When I find someone in charge, I'll remember that," she retorted smoothly. "Who are you?"

A voice called to her from a recent memory. 'How far will you go for him?' 'He doesn't love you. He's never loved anyone.' 'He's never loved anyone.' 'He doesn't love you. He doesn't know how to.' 'I loved her. I really loved her.' 'HE ruined it! He ruined MY life! I loved her!' 'Now the tables have turned! They've turned right around. I have the right cards, I have the right of the roll! It's my time to shine!' 'I can win.'

"You," she spat, realisation sinking in.

"Me," he grinned. "Kyle Draper."

Uh-oh. Annoying one of Numair's relatives was not wise. On the other hand... She stood and wrestled with her chains, bleeding her wild magic into them. Now, even if her moved her, even if she died, animals would be able to find her, no matter what kind.

"I hope you're not planning on living long, Master Kyle." She threw herself at him, shifting into a wolf. Her arms slipped easily out of the locks. Her paws scrabbled for his flesh, her teeth gleamed next to his face.

Fear flickered in his eyes. She watched as determination took over, and steeled herself. She promptly flew across the room, smashing into the wall. Whimping, she dragged herself up. She had measured his power in that blast to throw her off. His prowess was great, just enough so that she'd have to be wary of him. But now he knew to be wary of her.

He staggered to his feet, shaking slightly. Wimp. A grin crept over his face. "Now I see why Arram used you. I like your style. So, I won't punish you. Instead, you can do something for me."

Her stomach sank. 

---

Daine glanced back at Kyle. "I really have to do this? Just because of that stupid Varice?"

He grinned nastily. "Go on."

She sighed, dragging a huge breath in. 'I'm doing this for you, Numair, and I love you, even though I'll never be able to tell you,' she thought, eyes lingering over his ruffled hair. 'Here goes nothing.' She slipped down the stairs. "Numair."

Numair looked up, cautiously. It seemed as if he was making sure it really was her, not his eyes making him look foolish. "Daine?" His voice broke on the word, his face lit up with relief, with happiness and with... love. Daine firmed her mouth, making it form a straight line instead of the smile she wanted to give him.

She could see Kyle lightly treading down the stairs. 'Don't hurt him,' she thought desperately. 'Gods, please don't let him get hurt.' "Numair, I've got to tell you something."

He stood, papers falling to the floor with the motion. He didn't notice, just strode over to her, enveloping her in a huge hug. "Gods, I've missed you," he murmured into her hair.

She broke away from him. "No, Numair. You're not listening. If you don't listen, it's proof that you don't love me."

He stepped back from her in shock. "Sweet, what are you talking about?"

Daine bit her lip. Somehow, the pain gave her courage. "Numair, I've fallen in love."

Numair's face turned ashen. "What? Who?"

"Your cousin, Kyle," she lied. "I love him so much. What we have together is... amazing. It's so much more than I had with you. He makes me feel so special." She tried to make her face light with pleasure, but failed miserably.

"But Kyle... Kyle loves Varice."

Daine shook her head. "It's me. He told me so," she insisted.

"That's why she didn't leave with me. She felt sorry for him."

Behind Numair, blue-grey eyes saw Kyle's fists tighten. "I'm sorry, Numair."

Numair was silent for ages. She never guessed the reason - thought he was hurt, not thinking. Well, not until he spoke again. "It's him, isn't it? He took you. You're in his power."

"No," she said quickly, but he saw the flash in her face.

"It is. He's here. He wants to get me."

"Numair, don't think of yourself all the time! I'm in love with him. Why can't you accept it? Use eyebright, if you must!" She crossed her fingers for luck, hoping he wouldn't.

His face twisted in pain. "I never thought it would be a person who broke us up," he admitted.

Daine smiled weakly. "Guess you never know how life will turn out for people."

"True. I never thought we'd be here. You, standing there, feeding me all these COMPLETE LIES!"

She staggered back slightly, never having heard his voice raised to her before. "Lies? You're in denial."

"It's not true," he insisted.

Well, no, it wasn't, but she didn't want him thinking that. "It is. I'm sorry, Numair, but..."

"Daine, I love you." She smiled, moving back slightly so he wouldn't see her eyes soften. They fell on Kyle. What he was doing made her mouth open in shock, losing the smile. "I would never want to lose you, not to him. I wake up in the morning, and feel torn apart when you're not beside me. I...Daine, what's wrong?"

Kyle had been mouthing the exact words Numair was voicing. Her fists clenched in anger. Anger at him. "VARICE! YOU SAID THAT TO HER? TO VARICE? HOW COULD YOU?" she screamed.

He stepped towards her; she couldn't move away fast enough. His expression was filled with confusion, hers with fury and hatred. "No, I never said that to her! Daine, what has he done to you?"

Daine forced her face to sadden. "I don't know. I'm so confused. It hurts, Numair, it hurts."

"What does?" Tentatively, he pulled her into an embrace. She commanded her body to relax, instead of tensing up.

"My head."

"Look, sweet, I'll find him. It will all come out right. Don't worry."

Her body stiffened. "No, don't!"

"Don't? But-" He turned her to face him, thankfully releasing her. She couldn't stand to touch him, not after he had just given her a speech that Varice had heard first.

"I don't want..." She waved her hands, vaguely in his direction. "You... hurt..." She faked tears, covering the silences in her words.

His features eased, and he breathed out with a smile. "I won't get hurt," he promised, a slight sneer in his words.

And she cared about him, because... "Not you! Him! He's so weak that you, with your black robe and snooty manner, might harm him." She was rigid with rage. He couldn't even touch her.

"Daine, why are you doing this to me?"

"Ever since the Divine Realms, I've been on this pedestal. I have to live up to Mithros knows how many stuck-up court ladies. I can't do that. I can't be beautiful, clever, amusing... I can only be me." She put a hand up to stop whatever reply he had begun. "No, Numair, don't tell me I am.

"I'm the King's toy. Wheeled out whenever he wants to display his finery. A thing to gawp at. Or a thing to challenge when some air-headed prat like my cousin gets too big for his boots."  
"Well, I've been thrown out. Kyle doesn't want me for my power. He treats me like I don't matter. Like he hates me. You have no idea how that makes me feel. He's just amazing." Daine spat on the floor, next to the astonished, hurt black robe. The shadowy eyes were aflame with passion.

"How can you say that?"

"I HATE YOU!" she screamed, before running out of the room. Kyle slipped back to the shadows and followed her.

--

Wow, that was fun to write. Yeah, Rud, you keep on thinking Thayet's a man. Only cos you fancy her. And the mystery man has been unveiled. Uh-huh, an idiot. Got to go!


End file.
